A gas turbine engine is typical of turbo-machinery in which the present application may be utilized. It is well known that a gas turbine engine conventionally comprises a compressor for compressing inlet air to an increased pressure for combustion in a combustion chamber. A mixture of fuel and the increased pressure air is burned in the combustion chamber to generate a high temperature gaseous flow stream for causing rotation of turbine blades within the turbine. The turbine blades convert the energy from the high temperature gaseous flow stream into kinetic energy, that may be utilized for example to turn an electric generator, pump or other mechanically driven device. Further, the high temperature gaseous flow stream may be used as a heat source to produce steam or provide energy for chemical processing.
Many countries have enacted laws limiting the amount of pollutant emissions, such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Several approaches exist for lowering NOx emissions, but one generally accepted practice is to reduce the kinetic formation of NOx by lowering the temperature at which the fuel and air react in the combustor. Some low emissions combustion systems utilize a lean premix approach where the reaction temperature is reduced by mixing the fuel and air prior to allowing combustion reactions to proceed. A drawback to many lean premix combustion systems has been the risk of flashback of the flame into the premixing section.
Thus a need remains for further contribution in the area of premixing technology. The present application satisfies this and other needs in a novel and nonobvious way.